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Are you a CT or RI beach person?

CT is in a no mans land, stuck between NYC and Boston Mass. The inhabitants of CT are used to dividing ourselves between lots of things, most notably between sports teams of the two big cities. People from CT also divide ourselves in other ways as well. One of them is by identifying which side of the CT River you are from. The CT River divides the state into two parts, west of the river and east of the river and there are many people that refuse to go to one side or the other. Finally there is a debate that often gets waged in Connecticut and that is if Connecticut has real beaches or not.

Connecticut beaches are a part of Long Island sound which is technically an estuary and not considered the open Ocean. With Long Island blocking the open ocean, Connecticut beaches lack big waves. In fact I have often observed that the Great Lakes have bigger waves than CT beaches. I love the CT beaches myself but when asked, half of the people in Connecticut will say ‘Yes Connecticut beaches are real.’ and the other half say ‘No way! Screw Connecticut Beaches we are going 30 minutes up the road, to Rhode Island where they really have big waves and big surf.’

[perfectpullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]With 400 miles of ocean front property Rhode Island boasts some great beaches. Most folks that go to Rhode Island beaches, love to go to Misquamicut or East Beach.[/perfectpullquote]

With 400 miles of ocean front property Rhode Island boasts some great beaches. Most folks that go to Rhode Island beaches, love to go to Misquamicut or East Beach. Be warned, if you get to a Rhode Island beach after 8:00am expect to find parking to be a bit of a nightmare. I love camping at Burlingame Campground which is a state park that is very close to to East Beach in Rhode Island. I also love the Fishermans Memorial Campground in Rhode Island. The campground is situated on a salt water march and a short walking distance to the beach.   This campground has amenities much like privately owned campgrounds. Concrete pads for RVs, tennis and basketball courts. Another more interesting camping and beach experience is that you can go camping at the Charlestown Breachway.

In 1904 the good people of Rhode Island said we want to cultivate oysters. They had developed breachways that did not last because the ocean tides would wash up and deposit sand that effectively closed off the salty water supply to the ponds, so to be badass they just had to tell the ocean whose boss. They decided to put in a permanent breachway so that the salty ocean water could gain access to several large ponds including the Ninigret, the Pawaget and the Charlestown ponds to cultivate oysters.’ By building a permanent breachway it allow the water of in the ponds to be brackish. Brackish water is water that has a mix of salt and fresh water.

Camping at the breachway is essentially camping on the beach, the only catch to staying on the breachway is that you have to be self-contained, you must have an RV with a toilet and holding tank although they do provide composting toilets in the list of amenities. There is no tent camping there although I have heard from a friend that her son had camped in a vehicle.

For my New England Peeps – Which beaches do you prefer CT or RI?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Books

Lessons from the Road USA

Lessons from the Road, USA shares the travel adventures of a funny, single, 50-something year-old woman, traveling across the U.S. in a pickup truck. Webster is navigationally challenged and yet strangely addicted to camping sites and critters. She visits monuments of historical or personal significance and meets some fascinating people along the way!

Coming Soon!

Lessons from the Road RV

Join Margaret as she shifts from her tent to a new RV. This book is a must-read for anyone who owns, or is thinking of owning an RV to travel full-time.

Podcasts Featuring Margaret

Get Focused Episode 80

Episode 80: Meet Margaret Webster, author of “Lessons from the Road: USA”

5 Responses

  1. For me, any beach is a beautiful thing..unless of course it is so packed with people that you end up nearly sitting on some strangers lap. Mostly, I really can find something to love about most beaches. So not gonna take a side here!

  2. Rhode Island Beaches Rock. Going to CT beaches is like vegetarian bacon. Almost like a beach, but ultimately a disappointment. Pond… think salty, crowded, boring, sometimes dirty with all the crap going into the sound … pond. But it is a scale, given the choice , go to work or go to a CT beach? Wheres the towels?

  3. I grew up going to the beach in Clinton, Connecticut. Connecticut beaches are small but the water gets amazing warm in August which I love. There’s a lot to see and do around Long Island Sound. Now I spend my summers going to Rhode Island beaches. My favorite one is either East Beach, or the beach that is near the Charlestown bBreachway.

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